To kick off a Guardian Cities week investigating air pollution, our reporters followed the sun from Sydney to Lagos to Los Angeles – taking readings, talking to locals and giving a snapshot of our choking cities
The war against air pollution has begun – and it will be fought in cities
6.04pm GMT
We’ve reached the Pacific Ocean, where air pollution blissfully drops away to zero.
Thanks for joining us for a snapshot of air pollution on this otherwise unremarkable Monday in February 2017. The results have been worrying.
Bank of AQI400+ smog rolling into Beijing just now - within 20 minutes https://t.co/jbk3byT37C #beijing #airpocalypse #smog pic.twitter.com/Sf5Zom6F9M
Air filter, new and after five months in Delhi #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/Jxn6OMUWCA
Holy shit #thatview #smog #almaty #kazakhstan #koktobe #incredible #sun #air #bluesky #cityscape
The rapid pace of industrialisation in this city is both a blessing and a curse; residents choke on their commute daily. #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/OtA0qEhmgr
Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7
5.46pm GMT
Los Angeles: 9.45am. I’m in a neighborhood called Wilmington, in the far south end of the city, which is home about 60,000 people – and some of the worst air quality in southern California.
It’s an unlucky part of town, nestled in between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. There’s a major complex of oil wells and refineries, and a heavily used diesel truck and rail shipping corridor. The port complex is America’s largest. Some homes are right next door to oil wells and refineries.
Hi from Wilmington, which has some of the worst air quality in Southern California pic.twitter.com/zljDhuvrYn
Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 9 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 550 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 38 pic.twitter.com/rlfrQ6RNLW
Outdoor air quality, Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, L.A.: 13 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 509 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 53 pic.twitter.com/yYFjZTgZox
Outdoor air quality, Downtown L.A.: 16 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 532 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 59 pic.twitter.com/8XSNEn7s7C
Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7
Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 22 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 564 ppm of CO2; moderate/bad AQI of 72 pic.twitter.com/cZ6ejGDvIW
5.41pm GMT
Hello from Los Angeles – our last stop on today’s journey, following the sun through the hazy air of the world’s cities.
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5.27pm GMT
It's #airpollution week on @guardiancities. This shot is from @jessica.wl who lives in #Beijing, China - which often suffers from poor air quality. "It's not great when there's only one bright day a week," she says. "Residents here don't think about solving the problem. Wearing masks is like buying food." Share your own experiences and pictures of air pollution using #guardiancities and check out our global coverage all this week [link in bio]
@DZapataCordoba @chrismichaelgdn Right now, air quality is harmful to sensitive groups (orange cloud) almost everywhere in #Medellín pic.twitter.com/3jrHX7P6Qe
@guardiancities @guardian #Pollution high near Devonshire primary school @SuttonCouncil . First day of half term @CleanAirLondon pic.twitter.com/GAvNiEKTnL
@guardiancities This is from today. But you will still hear from people that Delhi has no #airppolution problem :O pic.twitter.com/E9wDD6GAlu
A very polluted day in Mexico City, seen from an airplane. It is quite common to have these kind of days, when the air pollution is trapped by the mountains around the Valley of Mexico. #GuardianCities #AirPollution
5.23pm GMT
Mexico City: 11.30am. While air quality is much better in Mexico City than it was in the 1980s and 90s, things are going in the wrong direction.
On the plus side, the city is much more bicycle-friendly, with new dedicated lanes and the Ecobici bike hire scheme, is the fourth biggest after Huangzhou, Paris and London. But I was an avid cyclist in London and never cycle here: the five-lane avenues, kamikaze driving and pollution put me off.
5.16pm GMT
Mexico City: 11.15am. I’m in Colonia Doctores, a run-down neighbourhood just south-west of the historic centre, and so-called because most streets are named after renowned doctors.
It’s famous for lucha libre (Mexican freestyle wrestling) at Arena Mexico; homemade soup stalls; traditional cantinas; and the sprawling general hospital, where hundreds of people are streaming in this morning.
Alvaro Garcia, 50, visiting his wife in the Hospital General. Wearing a mask because he thinks the pollution will make his cold worse pic.twitter.com/W7QHuy8Jmz
Dr Rodrigo Torres, a neurosurgeon at Hospital General. He didn't know Doctores is the city's most polluted neighbourhood #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/jdjzzBgyKA
Dangerous air quality outside Hospital General in Doctores, often the most polluted neighbourhood in Mexico City #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/u3lf9UNQdc
5.03pm GMT
Hello from Mexico City – the world’s fourth biggest city, with 21 million people, 5.5m cars and at least 64,000 factories. In the 1980s, it was also the world’s most polluted city, and even in the late 1990s I remember frequently feeling faint.
Air quality has improved since then, but pollution resurfaced as a major problem in 2016, forcing authorities to issue the first health alert in 11 years. Since then, warnings have come thick and fast. Protective masks are increasingly common.
Gridlock outside Hospital General in Colonia Doctores, frequently the most contaminated neighborhood in Mexico City #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/q6G1GBtw4f
Landing in Mexico City recently, thick black clouds from Xmas-time gone for now, just a low hanging smog #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/9g7yX5f9dK
Cyclists enjoy 35miles of car-free roads on Sundays but poor air quality in leafy La Condesa yesterday: outdoor exercise not recommended! pic.twitter.com/Kbct5gun13
4.58pm GMT
South Bronx: 11.55am
OK, so the pollution readings near the highway fluctuated wildly – from 17 to 206, which is the level where they tell you to get inside and shut the windows. The problem was trucks: every time one would pass the meter would spike. Imagine living here and not being able to open your windows
This is why asthma here is one of the highest in the nation: highway on ramps right next to people's homes. pic.twitter.com/eEcs1uSrjq
4.45pm GMT
South Bronx: 11.45am
Several people I’ve spoken with have thought about moving because of how bad the pollution is here.
The air pollution at the corner of St Ann's and 138th is a respective 25 according to the @MyAirVisual device pic.twitter.com/Mnl8dwe8zV
4.35pm GMT
Greetings from the South Bronx – a diverse, low-income area of New York City that some people call Asthma Alley.
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The South Bronx isn't falling for Fresh Direct's dirty trucks http://t.co/2rAEkZCktE pic.twitter.com/6FH9X6TSI3
4.24pm GMT
Rio de Janeiro: 2.20pm
Even on a bad day, there is very little smog in this Brazilian beach resort, especially compared to my previous post in China, pic.twitter.com/goRfDfcZhj
Paulo Kardegiane, who works at a juice bar, says the air can be worse. "My eyes feel it most, especially during morning rush hour." pic.twitter.com/qMsPtHcHks
Taxi driver José Farias says the problem grows every year. "Copacabana used to be quiet but now there are too many cars." pic.twitter.com/7gfCqbQ7xN
But, hey, I'm not complaining. There are so many murkier cities in the world, as my colleagues have been reporting. https://t.co/VdhuB5FxHt
4.09pm GMT
Welcome to Copacabana!
It feels a little nuts to contribute to a global air pollution blog from Copacabana, especially with glorious weather like today. pic.twitter.com/01JOEdCGJH
The cause is traffic. Just three blocks from the seafront is one of the worst roads, Rua Barato Ribeiro. (Still looks pretty good to me.) pic.twitter.com/CDZXGTlhVb
3.40pm GMT
London: 3.40pm
I spoke to some Londoners about the deteriorating air quality in their city. Spot the theme.
Outside King's Cross talking to ppl about #airpollution. Charles thinks London isn't doing enough to get ppl cycling @guardiancities pic.twitter.com/m6HGmHuzxE
Sophie & Hannah cycle regularly. They think more bike lanes and compulsory electric vehicles would help solve London's #airpollution crisis pic.twitter.com/JXLTHOvPVp
Darron thinks cars are causing London's #airpollution problems and worries about the future of his kids' health pic.twitter.com/7G54ZoKfi7
This is Borja, who works on the Euston Road. He says London's #airpollution problem is simple: "too many cars" pic.twitter.com/dTXHPRvyzn
3.30pm GMT
Hello from London, where the UK capital wondrously managed to breach its air pollution limit for all of 2017 in just the first five days of January.
The Guardian offices are in Kings Cross, where the busy Euston road artery causes some of the city’s worst smog.
My #airpollution monitor around King's Cross station is not happy! pic.twitter.com/swTyvBQe2U
3.07pm GMT
A question that keeps coming up across our air pollution coverage is what people can do to reduce air pollution. Experts Frank Kelly, professor of environmental health at King’s College London, and Claire Holman, chair of the Institute of Air Quality Management, have been online to help us out.
The main source of air pollution in urban areas is traffic, particularly diesel cars. The best way to improve air pollution would be to remove older diesel vehicles from the road. At an individual level, the choice of car is important, petrol cars are much cleaner than diesel cars, particularly regarding nitrogen oxide emissions. (Claire Holman)
Planting trees can help reduce pollution, but its effectiveness depends on the pollutant and the species of tree. It is also important to consider the effect planting vegetation can have on the dispersion of traffic pollution. If poorly designed it can make the situation worst. (Claire Holman)
There are many cookstove replacement programmes in place in developing countries that aim to reduce pollution. Although decreasing exposure to cooking emissions must be a good thing it is often difficult to demonstrate directly linked health effects because of other confounding pollution sources. (Frank Kelly)
Wood burners sold in the UK should comply with legal requirements. If used in a smokeless zone, they need to be an exempt appliance and only burn the permitted fuel. This is difficult for local authorities to enforce, especially given their limited resources. However, there is a need for much greater public understanding of the health effects of domestic wood burning, and how to minimise emissions. Local authorities may have an important role with their Trading Standards Officers taking action against any illegal stoves being sold or fitted in smokeless zones. (Claire Holman)
2.52pm GMT
Air mask fashion: Gap meets Mad Max
The market for pricier, soundly designed masks has been growing steadily in the past few years. Sales are not notable but Freka, a British brand, had the monopoly for a while. And rightly so given that they tapped into the trend for minimal sportswear, almost Céline like in design, seeking to become more of a background accessory than anything standout. Which sets the Airinum M90 – launching today, entirely by coincidence – apart. While the design is typically Scandinavian design, these face masks are neon camo.
As for the fashion appraisal, trad camo is having a moment – particularly in menswear. But neon camo, nothing short of an eyesore, is unchartered territory. It’s also oxymoronic. But that’s the point: if the aim is to raise awareness of the problem then it’s unlikely you’ll miss one of these on the street.
2.32pm GMT
2.14pm GMT
Air pollution experts Frank Kelly, professor of environmental health at King’s College London, and Claire Holman, chair of the Institute of Air Quality Management, are here today to take your questions.
Could someone invent something to put on diesel engines to prevent bad emissions?
The main emissions of concern for health are particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). PM emissions have been cut dramatically from newer diesel vehicles by fitting diesel particle filters. For NOx, the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has reduced emissions from the most recent diesel cars – but they still remain higher when driven on the road than when tested in the laboratory tests used in the legislation. It is likely that a combination of technologies will be needed to make diesel car NOx emission as low as those from petrol cars. This will include the use of SCR with lean NOx traps.
Ok, question for Prof Kelly and/or Dr Holman. How much air pollution can plants endure?? Because it seems to me that some animals may peg out before plants do, but once the plants shuffle off this mortal coil there would not be much going on for anything else. Cheers
Plants, like ourselves, are sensitive to pollutants in the air. Our cities are not polluted enough to stop plants surviving, but like us they probably do not live as long as they could do. Plants are particularly sensitive to ozone pollution and in many warm countries crop yields are affected.”
Surely nothing will change until towns and cities are forced to monitor their own pollution levels and act accordingly. At the moment in the UK, nobody really knows. Well done The Guardian for pushing on and informing us.
Local authorities are already required to review and assess air quality in their areas, and declare an “air quality management area” (AQMA) if concentrations exceed the air-quality objectives. Where an AQMA is declared, local authorities must prepare an action plan. Most local authorities already monitor air pollution in their areas; however, with the current pressure on resources, many local authorities have cut back their monitoring. They need to do more, not less – but to do so they need more money.
1.55pm GMT
The air in Lagos today? Not good.
My Node air monitor showed a reading of 107μg/m3 of PM2.5s at Ladipo, Mushin. #GuardianCities #AirPollutionLagos pic.twitter.com/eOLcL0tf3N
“Outdoor air is unhealthy. Keep your windows shut, wear a mask & avoid outdoor activities.” But Lagosians are oblivious of the health hazard pic.twitter.com/VmOuMuGXNk
Air pollution has reached new heights in the city of Port Harcourt as panic-stricken residents wake up to a black sky of carbon emissions. pic.twitter.com/ywemoTG4G7
1.29pm GMT
At the very busy scrap market at Ladipo, Mushin, I meet Ayelumosi packing waste from the road side.
Mrs Ayelumosi packs waste for a living. She says she often gets a tingling sensation on her chest when she does not have a nose mask on. pic.twitter.com/B5ZKq8eqCH
Lagosians choking on their commute at the very busy Spare part market, Ladipo, Mushin. #GuardianCities #AirPollution pic.twitter.com/fQmCVShkGt
1.00pm GMT
Hello from Lagos! On my commute to work three days ago, I sat seething in a commercial bus as it crawled slowly behind a degenerating rapid transit bus whose exhaust pipes were billowing black dense clouds of smoke.
We had been behind the bus for about five minutes. I watched irritably as the driver ignored every opportunity to switch lanes and save us from inhaling the toxic air.
The rapid pace of industrialisation in this city is both a blessing and a curse; residents choke on their commute daily. #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/OtA0qEhmgr
12.57pm GMT
With London breaking air pollution records last month, Amy Fleming rounded up some of the best advice for what, exactly, you can do to protect yourself during a peak pollution alert. Hot tip? Eat vegetables, walk one street back ... and pray for rain.
Related: Smog tips: what to do when there's a pollution warning
Localised #airpollution effects - high PM2.5 levels currently recorded in Norwich by DEFRA's mont. stations. A Pollu hot spot this morning
PM2.5 #AirPollution levels are high today with 36 ug/m3 in the worksite multi-storey car park & 16 ug/m3 in the #AlderleyPark Office #health pic.twitter.com/16szvspFgP
@guardiancities Campaigners also put gas masks on local statues to highlight the issue https://t.co/apczKCHtvJ #airpollution pic.twitter.com/CFyg24ehLm
@guardiancities @guardian We are measuring #pollution around schools. It's high in Worcester Park even on half term #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/pW3VWZFil0
12.37pm GMT
Manchester is in the middle of a construction boom. Cranes pierce the horizon and the sound of hammering and drilling fills the air. Outside the Guardian’s office on Deansgate, one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, workmen are re-laying the pavement, as demolition experts ready the neighbouring building for the wrecking ball.
But while all this may be good for cementing Manchester as the heart of the so-called “northern powerhouse”, it is rather less good for our lungs. I just took a Node reading outside as one of the allegedly low-carbon metroshuttle buses trundled past, and was alarmed to be advised against prolonged outdoor activity: an AQI reading of 122, suggesting that sensitive groups, such as asthma sufferers, should limit outdoor exertion.
Just tested the air quality outside the Guardian's Manchester office. The results are not terribly reassuring pic.twitter.com/ZSGla0fP7Z
12.30pm GMT
Day 1 of The Air We Breathe, our special weeklong investigation into air pollution, has also featured some in-depth reporting from our correspondents on the front lines of this needlessly lethal crisis.
Here are some of the highlights so far.
Related: The war against air pollution has begun – and it will be fought in cities
Related: Welcome to Onitsha: the city with the world’s worst air
Related: 'We had to sue': the five lawyers taking on China's authorities over smog
Related: Smog tips: what to do when there's a pollution warning
Related: Tipping point: revealing the cities where exercise does more harm than good
12.15pm GMT
These past few posts have painted a grim picture of Delhi, but some air quality advocates feel hopeful.
Sarath Guttikunda runs UrbanEmissions, an air-quality research hub. “Progress is being made in bits and pieces, and compared to five years ago, there’s a lot more awareness and a much bigger push for clear air.”
Related: India plans nearly 60% of electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2027
12.01pm GMT
Holy shit #thatview #smog #almaty #kazakhstan #koktobe #incredible #sun #air #bluesky #cityscape
The above picture shows Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, as tall buildings disrupt natural ventilation patterns between the surrounding mountains, thus trapping pollution. More than 80% of air pollution in the city is caused by vehicle traffic. Large-scale illegal logging has only helped to worsen local air quality.
We have been learning about air pollution in school. I have to wear a mask to school and we are not allowed outside for recess and PE. Even some days it is so bad we don’t have school, which I was happy about! Recently the school introduced an air cleaning system. The big problem for me is that I worry about my health in the future, as I don’t know what damage the air pollution is really doing I hope the government can stop people driving petrol cars and the factoies can use cleaner energy.” (shared by Mr Ashley, BIBS international school)
Every day when I come home from work I have to sit in the traffic and breathe in large amounts of petrol and diesel. After returning home when I spit out into my basin I can clearly see the black spots in it. My hair and beard gets full of dust, I look like I’m a construction worker. Every second week I get a bad chesty cough. Most of the street food being sold in the city is full of air pollution.”
In winter air pollution gets so bad that the city of Santiago created an app showing the daily air quality. When it’s really bad, schools are told to keep students from sport and outdoor activities. Apparently air pollution is worse when the national team plays. That is because of the custom of asados, social BBQs, taking place.”
11.44am GMT
Peak-hour traffic will be starting to surge now, and with it, levels of air pollution in Delhi.
Here’s a read from an air quality monitor near my office, a comparatively greener neighbourhood where rates are probably better than in the city’s older, or more heavily trafficked districts.
Pollution levels in the office - AQI 124 and PM2.5 levels of 45 #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/kEOFplkwdl
Pollution levels inside air purified room, versus Anand Vihar #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/QWX3RJhGLm
11.28am GMT
A reader has suggested we look at another south Asian capital, Kathmandu, which gets comparatively less publicity, but endures pollution levels as high as many north Indian cities.
You should investigate in Kathmandu, it may be the worst city of them all but we lack of installed monitoring systems. In some neighborhoods we have a PM2.5 level of 500μg/m3 in the morning. Already after one month of non stop air purifying in the office the filters look the on from Michael Safi in Dehli.
Nepal generally evokes images of a pristine mountain nation on top of the world. The thick cloud of pollution that threatens to suffocate Nepal’s largest city, however, provides a stark contrast to this reputation. While there are several environmental crises converging here – severe water shortages, for instance, have become status quo – none is as dire as air quality. In the past 10 years, the number of vehicles on Kathmandu’s streets has risen threefold. The problem has become so acute that many of its 1.74 million residents are left wondering: at what point will their city become unliveable?
Related: Has air pollution made Kathmandu unliveable?
11.13am GMT
Delhi residents on Twitter are sharing their experiences of pollution in the city.
@guardiancities pm2.5 levels around 170 and hazy skies. Sadly, this is quite good for here. Reading regularly 999 in places - off the charts
@guardiancities This is from today. But you will still hear from people that Delhi has no #airppolution problem :O pic.twitter.com/E9wDD6GAlu
Tons of garbage burnt everyday in sec136 Noida and nothing happens @yadavakhilesh #airpollution pic.twitter.com/qdIiozEG5M
Insane. Like living in a scene from BladeRunner. Apocalyptic at times @guardiancities @guardianeco @guardian #Delhi #airpollution pic.twitter.com/ac002hSKd9
11.05am GMT
I went for a wander about an hour ago to speak to Delhi residents who make their living outside, such as petrol pump workers, chai-wallahs and bicycle rickshaw drivers.
Air pollution might be well understood in cities such as Beijing, but awareness in the Indian capital is generally limited to the city’s middle classes. Masks are rare and many people told me they didn’t notice any problems – though of course damage is being done.
Deepak on air pollution: "I hardly feel it. After Diwali I felt a bit of congestion in my breathing, but not in general." #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/wwEy7wreVP
Dinesh: "I'm not aware of it. I noticed around Diwali, when I felt it around my eyes, but I don't feel it anymore." pic.twitter.com/8CkueLxZTO
Ram Prasad Paswan: "I feel headaches at times. I know the pollution is bad, but this work is my living. I have to do it." pic.twitter.com/Mm8S8T0Chc
Om Prakash: "I have issues in my breathing and I got itching in my eyes. But I wouldn't wear a mask, it feels awkward." pic.twitter.com/iNYCMXxqJp
10.40am GMT
The people who probably bear the brunt of Delhi’s poor air are its fleet of auto-rickshaw drivers. To get a sense of the levels to which they’re exposed each day, we stuck a small air-quality monitor on a rickshaw belonging to Suresh Sharma, who plies his trade across south Delhi. See the results for yourself:
10.18am GMT
Here’s another way of visualising the extent of Delhi’s pollution problem.
For those few who can afford it, one way to minimise – though not eliminate – the amount of toxic air one breathes is by installing air purifiers in the house.
Air filter, new and after five months in Delhi #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/Jxn6OMUWCA
10.08am GMT
Hello from Delhi, the capital of India, and one-time “most polluted city in the world”.
As we’ve already reported, that unenviable title now belongs to Onitsha, a tropical port city in Nigeria – but Indians aren’t celebrating yet.
Related: Welcome to Onitsha: the city with the world’s worst air
9.40am GMT
Fun fact: according to one reader in China, smog is now referred to as “the weather” (!)
The pollution has been so bad in Chengdu this year: a constant white miasma engulfing the cityscape.
One of my flights was unable to land due to the thickness of the smog.
9.24am GMT
Heavy air pollution is expected around Beijing from Sunday to Wednesday due to pollution from #LanternFestival fireworks. pic.twitter.com/NVu3TfjiNP
Despite the above tweet, it’s actually a lovely fresh afternoon in Beijing after a day of smog on Sunday – as our Node air pollution monitor attests. (An AQI reading of 27 is well within the “good” range.) But the pollution is expected to roll back in later as smog covers large parts of north China.
20 cities are required to beef up pollution controls and work to unify emergency response standards to prevent smog.https://t.co/8mNAb02LC3 pic.twitter.com/JTl7mGjbYz
8.53am GMT
Naaman Zhou spoke to locals in Sydney this evening
"My son is three and has bad asthma, so I'm very aware of air quality," says Jess #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/RCopRvoGxV
"I grew up in the country and I cycle a lot, so I reckon I just block it out", Cassie on Sydney's air quality #guardiancities pic.twitter.com/g7lUhhowmW
8.31am GMT
Wang Zhen from our Beijing office has been out talking to the city’s residents about how the smog affects their lives.
Gao Yuhang, 28, works for a media firm that is located between Beijing’s second and third ring roads. This is one of the city’s most polluted areas, particularly during rush hour.
8.21am GMT
At Sydney’s Central station, commuters pile into trains, wait for buses, and some hop on bikes they’ve left in nearby Albion Park. On our Node reader, which measures PM2.5 fine particle emissions, the reading here in the middle of the city never deviated much from 4 micrograms per cubic metre, which places it quite squarely at a safe level.
The highest readings ever in Sydney were 33 micrograms, in the suburb of Rozelle, but today, at the end of a weekend heatwave that record remains intact. National health standards take 8 micrograms to be a safe national limit, and on most days, city-wide, Sydney is well within that.
Air quality reading of 4 micrograms per cubic metre here at Sydney's Central Station - national limit is 8 @guardiancities pic.twitter.com/zmJpSScFh7
8.15am GMT
Toxic air is a major cause of heart attacks, strokes and lung diseases – the causes that are put in death certificates. But researchers are finding ever more varied and worrying impacts of breathing noxious air.
Related: The war against air pollution has begun – and it will be fought in cities
8.09am GMT
Thanks largely to heavy industry belching out pollutants in the region around Beijing, China’s capital has a big, big smog problem – as this incredible time-lapse video from last month shows.
When I set off from my house (which is just below the bottom of this image) on the day this footage was shot, it was a glorious winter morning in Beijing. By the time I’d reached the middle of the image, the city was enveloped in a nicotine-shaded haze that made the air taste like paint.
Bank of AQI400+ smog rolling into Beijing just now - within 20 minutes https://t.co/jbk3byT37C #beijing #airpocalypse #smog pic.twitter.com/Sf5Zom6F9M
Another bout of grim smog set to hit north & east China over coming days. Skies won't clear until Thurs, Xinhua says https://t.co/HhysA2XKd3
7.52am GMT
Today, Guardian Cities kicks off a week to exploring one of the worst preventable causes of death around the world: air pollution.
Dirty air kills 3.3 million people every year – more than HIV, malaria and influenza combined. Indoor pollution claims roughly the same number again.
Continue reading...